Inquiry Approach

What is an Inquiry Approach to Learning? 

Inquiry learning is grounded in the work of Dewey (1938), Bruner (1966) and Vygotsky (1978). These theorists claim it is the student who needs to do the ‘heavy cognitive lifting’. We therefore view children as capable and confident learners.

Inquiry is the dynamic process of being open to wonder and puzzlement and coming to know and understand the world through various perspectives and using a range of life skills and developing dispositions such as: being a communicator, a thinker, a researcher, a self manager, and a collaborator.

When we move to the heart of inquiry, it is about engagement, lighting a fire within students so they want to investigate and find out more. Students are involved in their learning, create essential questions, investigate widely and then build new understandings, meanings and knowledge. That knowledge is new to the children and may be used to answer their essential question, to develop a solution, or to support a position or point of view. The knowledge is usually presented to others in some type of a public manner and may result in some sort of action.

Inquiry at O'Connor Cooperative School

At O’Connor Cooperative School, our units of inquiry are centred around key questions and understandings to guide learning. Units of inquiry aim to integrate curriculum areas and are often guided by knowledge, understandings and skills in history, geography, science and health. An inquiry cycle is used, involving tuning in, finding out, sorting out, going further, reflecting and acting.

Play Based Investigations

Investigations is a core part of the teaching and learning program at O’Connor Cooperative School. Investigations provide children with developmentally appropriate opportunities to link their passions and interests with curriculum. It is a time where staff link explicit teaching into the children’s curiosities.

A variety of sources have been used as a basis to our Investigative learning, including the research, theories and Developmental Curriculum work done by Kathy Walker as well as the curriculum work carried out by Kath Murdoch.

Investigations is an authentic, play based learning session allowing for student choice, exploration, cooperation, language development and inquiry learning. Our indoor and outdoor learning environments reflect our beliefs that children effectively learn through play and we support them in their individual endeavours and interests through encouraging their agency in their learning environments. Investigations emphasises that children are more highly motivated to learn and sustain their own learning when their opportunities are realistic, and their interests are valued. Staff focus on the development of the whole child’s wellbeing, giving children the opportunity to work as a part of a community which promotes self-initiated learning, recognises learning is richer when we learn together, develops strong work habits and builds skills to become a self-assessing learner.

It is also a great opportunity for families and community to be involved. For example, having a ‘parent expert’ in to share with the class, parents helping with construction or research.